In some pharmacy order-picking devices, a large number of various and differently-dimensioned medication packages (piece goods) are stored chaotically and in a space-optimized manner on elongated shelf bases. These shelf bases form, together with the shelf walls, a plurality of shelf compartments, wherein a large number of medication packages is stored per shelf compartment, i.e., per shelf base.
The shelf bases typically consist of glass and are suspended in the shelf walls. The total weight of the medication packages stored per shelf space can vary strongly because of the multiplicity of the medication packages placed per shelf base and the space-optimized manner of the storage. The shelf bases are designed such that they only sag minimally if they are occupied with medication packages of average weight, whereby a retrieval with the aid of the operating device is not disturbed.
To retrieve the medication packages, the operating device is moved to a specific shelf position which is known to a control device of the pharmacy order-picking device. In the case of normal occupation of the shelf base, in this shelf position, the support surface of the support of the operating device is approximately aligned horizontally with the surface of the shelf base, so that the medication package to be retrieved or the medication packages to be retrieved can be moved using the gripping device without problems from the shelf base onto the support. The gripping device or the gripper includes clamping jaws, using which the medication package(s) is/are clamped and then moved onto the support. The gripping device can furthermore include a vacuum suction unit, using which medication packages can be moved onto the support. The vacuum suction unit can be used together with the clamping jaws or without them in dependence on the type of the medication package.